Thursday, April 29, 2010

The other day, I read a post by a blogging buddy, Lisa @ This Mommy Works.

It was about being interrupted by your kids, and was based on a quote: "Interruptibility makes a great mom," by Dee Ann Stewart.

Lisa's blog post got me thinking and has kept me thinking. As a matter of fact, it has changed my outlook a bit and has, I think, made me a better mom.

Kids interrupt. It's part of who they are and what they do. Not just conversations--though they're really good at that--but anything you're doing. Any mom knows what I'm talking about.

When you're a mother, good luck getting five minutes alone in a bathroom. Just the other night, I was in the tub and Logan streaked into the room and next thing I know, I'm sharing my bubble bath with a little boy who asks too many questions

Heaven forbid the phone rings, or you bump into someone at the store and start chatting. That pushes kids' "interrupt" button and they immediately begin clamoring, even if they were quiet as a church mouse up until that moment.

Cleaning house, sleeping, making dinner, looking at a magazine, trying to hear something on the radio... ANYTHING a mom is trying to do will be interrupted by her kids.

But, you know, it's their job.

And ever since reading Lisa's post, I've been trying to keep that in mind. I am doing less just-a-minuting and more putting down whatever I'm doing to tend to what my child needs RIGHT THAT MINUTE. Even if it's just Logan wanting to show me how his Grave Digger toy crashes when he's racing the Maximum Destruction toy.

Interruptibility makes a great mom, and I'm trying to be more interruptible these days.

After all, one day too soon, I'll wish my boys were interrupting me, talking to me, wanting attention from me.

Plus, the laundry just lies there quietly. It's easy to ignore and never interrupts.

Well, unless it stinks.

Anyway, next time you find yourself getting agitated about your child's incessant interruption, next time you find yourself thinking "I just need to be NOT NEEDED for a little while," remind yourself that it's their job to interrupt and it's your job to be interrupted, and you'll miss it when it's gone.

Although, I still interrupt my mom more frequently than she'd like.

Hmmm...

Sorry, Mom. It's my job.

I guess I'm both the interrupter AND the interruptee.

Kids are constantly trying to reassure themselves that their presence is important to those who matter most in their world, and often, that's mom.

Give your babies that reassurance. Let them know how much they mean to you by stopping whatever is distracting you from them, getting down on their level and really paying attention to them. Listen to them. Don't just wait for them to get done talking so you can go back to whatever meaningless task you were doing before.

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comments:

It is so true, being interrupted is just part of being a mother and a worker, etc. Although I really do wish that my kids would stop with the "mama" every 5 seconds, I know that there will be a time that I miss that 4 letter word.

This was really great to read. I know I will do the "just a minute" game with Makenzie a lot but I need to give her what she needs, that instant, every possible time to show her how much I love her. Really does put things in perspective.